Aneesha Allie of the Guyana National CSME Focal Point Ministry left and RAI Team member Carolyn Walcott right, pose with media showing their newly minted certificates of participation

Guyanese media workers who recently benefited from training to enhance reporting on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) has committed to highlighting its benefits and opportunities for all Guyanese though their media entities. The two-day intensive CSME media training, executed by Right Angle Imaging Consultancy, was coordinated by Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs with funding from the Government of Canada under Component 300 of the CARICOM Trade and Competitiveness Project (CTCP) that seeks to enhance regional information flows on the CSME.

A team of 31 immigration supervisors drawn from Guyana’s immigration ports including Georgetown, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Ogle Airport, Bartica and Moleson Creek, were on March 5th sensitized about their roles and responsibilities particularly with respect to facilitating the free movement of CARICOM nationals under the CARICOM Single Market (CSM).

Fifteen representatives from civil society organization sand three journalists have lauded a capacity building programme which ran in St. Vincent and the Grenadines from February 16 – 18, 2015. Among primary objectives of the training was knowledge building on CARICOM as an institution; on the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) and the arrangements and regimes which form the pillars of democracy within the space, and what they mean for the CARICOM national.The initiative was mounted by the CARICOM Secretariat in partnership with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with funding from the Canadian Government.

CSME Focal Point and Foreign Service Officer III, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aneesha Allie (left seated) and Carolyn Walcott, RAI Team member and Workshop facilitator pose with the new members of the regional CSME Spokespersons Bureau

(Georgetown, Guyana February 11, 2015) As part of the ongoing Regional consultancy to enhance information flows on the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) in six Member States, twenty four Guyanese have been inducted into the CSM Spokespersons Bureau – a regional team mandated to speak on the CARICOM Single Market to the media and the public.

Six CARICOM Member States are getting ready to train those who have successfully accessed the CARICOM Single Market to share their stories of triumph and breakthrough with the public and the media. The first set of Spokespersons training began in Guyana on Monday February 9 and will be followed by other training workshops in Dominica, Grenada and Belize starting February 16. Belize’s spokespersons workshop is scheduled for February 25 and 26 in Belize City.

Close to fifty secondary CXC-level teachers have been trained to integrate information on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) into their school’s curriculum. The two-day training, which opened on Thursday February 5, is part of the CARICOM Trade and Competitiveness Project (CTCP) Component 300 that seeks to widen the scope of participation by stakeholders and beneficiaries in the process of decision-making, implementation and operation of the CSME Information Flows.

Guyana, the headquarters nation of the CARICOM Secretariat (pictured) has issued 5 000 Skills Certificates under the Free Movement of Skills regime

Guyana is gearing to issue CARICOM Vocational Qualifications (CVQs) to qualify artisans and domestics for skills certificates to move freely under the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) in 2015. Since signing on to the CSM in January 2006, the CARICOM member state has issued 5000 free movement of skills certificates to its citizens to facilitate employment in other CSM participating countries.

Teacher training session in Stann Creek, Belize equipping teachers to teach Belizean students about their rights and responsibilities under the CARICOM Single Market – 13 countries, One Market, Endless Opportunities

Nearly 60 Belizean teachers are now equipped to teach students about their rights and benefits under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy following two two-day intensive Teacher Training Workshops in Stann Creek and Belmopan from January 27 through to January 30.

Vincentian public and private sector personnel are receiving one-on-one orientation sessions on the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) through a schedule of workplace meetings organized by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Regional Integration and Diaspora Unit (RIDU). Minister for Reconciliation, the Public Service, Department of Labour, Information and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Hon. Maxwell Charles has hailed the activity as timely for his government.

Kacy Ann West of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade confers with Pauline Anderson of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce before presentation at Ministry of Agriculture

Workplace sessions on the CARICOM Single Market are now underway in Government offices and private sector groups in Kingston to highlight how Jamaican nationals can access their right to work, travel and do business in 12 other CARICOM Member States.

The series, branded AccessCSME – The Workplace Edition, highlights the steps to accessing the various regimes of the Single Market and also emphasizes how workers can enable the Jamaican public to access the various provisions of the CARICOM Single Market including the well established complaints procedure if those rights are violated.

Free Movement of Service breakout group comprising Coalition of Services, Ministry of Trade, Investment Promotions Agency and GIS

The Ministry of Employment, Trade, Industry and Diaspora Affairs, in partnership with the CARICOM Secretariat, convened a CSME communication planning workshop on Thursday December 11th which brought representatives from the public and business sectors around the table to begin to formulate a strategic approach for sustainable information flows on the CSME in Dominica.

The ace team from Belize’s focal point Ministry for the CSME delivers well received presentation on the Single Market. From left Denise Swan, Adriene Mendez and Milagro Matus

The Belizean government last week continued specially tailored educational sessions on the benefits, roles and responsibilities of key Government agencies and private sector groups in helping Belizeans secure their right to work, travel and do business in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

Grenada this week started a series of workplace public education sessions on the CARICOM Single Market targeting employees on the frontline of CSME action and response, and select private sector groups. Dubbed AccessCSME – The Workplace Edition, the series is led by the CSME focal point in each country.

Mrs Dunnaliz Commodore, Foreign Service officer presenting on behalf of the Free Movement of Skills breakout group

St. Georges, November 28, 2014: Led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a number of stakeholders representing a cross section of the Grenadian society, sat around the table on Thursday Nov 27th to discuss the essential areas of focus which should be included in a country communication strategy to increase knowledge of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy in Grenada.